Coding bootcamps first appeared in 2011 as intensive, short‑term programs aimed at turning beginners into job‑ready developers in under six months. By 2017, North America hosted over 90 full‑time bootcamp courses, reflecting explosive growth from just a handful of pioneers.
Yet between December 2023 and mid‑2024, more than a dozen prominent schools—including Codeup, Kenzie Academy, Momentum Learning, Rithm School, Epicodus, Code Fellows, Women Who Code in the U.S., and Toronto’s Juno College in Canada—have closed their doors, marking a significant market correction driven by saturation, AI‑driven automation, shifting employer demands, and economic headwinds.
Introduction
Not long ago, bootcamps were hailed as the fast track into tech, promising to compress a four‑year CS degree into a few months of immersive, project‑based learning. Students flocked to campuses in major hubs—San Francisco, New York, Toronto—attracted by tight employer partnerships and high reported placement rates. Career‑changers and recent grads alike valued the hands‑on approach and the chance to build real portfolios, all without the student‑loan burden of traditional universities.
History Of Coding Bootcamps
The model took shape in early 2012 when Dev Bootcamp launched a 19‑week immersive curriculum designed to make graduates “job‑ready” by program end. Founders Shereef Bishay, Jesse Farmer, and Dave Hoover headquartered in San Francisco and quickly expanded to several other cities. The concept caught fire, and by 2014, dozens of imitators—General Assembly, Flatiron School, Hack Reactor—emerged, driving graduate numbers from around 2,000 in 2013 to more than 6,000 in 2014. Traditional institutions began exploring partnerships, and investors poured capital into new programs, peaking in 2017 when over 90 immersive courses operated across the U.S. and Canada.
Recent Wave Of Closures
Between December 2023 and August 2024, at least a dozen U.S. bootcamps shut down. San Antonio’s Codeup suddenly ceased operations in late December 2023, leaving dozens of students and staff scrambling.
Indianapolis‑based Kenzie Academy stopped accepting new enrollees in August 2023 but allowed existing students to finish I
Raleigh’s Momentum Learning cited the rise of AI automation in entry‑level roles when it closed after six years and over 400 graduates
California’s Rithm School halted new applications in July 2024, and Massachusetts’s Launch Academy paused its immersive program in May 2024.
Other closures include Epicodus in Oregon, Code Fellows in Seattle (July 2024), Women Who Code (April 18 2024), Alchemy Code Lab, Telegraph Academy, Orange Code School, and Viking Code School after its acquisition by Thinkful.
In Canada, Toronto’s Juno College of Technology—the city’s longest‑running web‑dev and data‑analytics bootcamp—ceased all cohort offerings and shifted toward entrepreneurship courses in late 2022.
Contributing Factors
Several forces converged to trigger this shakeout. First, market saturation made it tough for many schools to sustain healthy enrollment as dozens of competitors vied for the same talent pool.
Second, generative AI tools have automated tasks once reserved for junior developers, prompting Raleigh’s Momentum Learning to explicitly cite AI’s impact on job availability when closing.
Third, employers now emphasize specialized skills—machine learning, cloud‑native development, cybersecurity—over generalist bootcamp credentials, squeezing programs that can’t pivot quickly.
Finally, broader economic headwinds and the normalization of online learning during the pandemic squeezed margins for high‑overhead, in‑person models.
Implications For Aspiring Tech Professionals
These closures don’t mean alternative tech education is dead, but they do signal a need for greater due diligence. Prospective students should:
Examine outcomes through verified placement data and third‑party reviews.
Scrutinize curriculum to ensure coverage of in‑demand areas like AI, DevOps, and cloud computing.
Evaluate support structures, including career coaching, mentorship, and alumni networks.
Understand the financial model—comparing tuition, income‑share agreements, and scholarship options against realistic salary projections.
Choosing a program with sustainable growth, up‑to‑date content, and robust post‑graduation support will be key in this evolving market.
Conclusion
Coding bootcamps reshaped tech education by offering immersive, skills‑focused training. Yet rapid expansion, AI‑driven automation, and shifting industry needs have precipitated a wave of closures across the U.S. and Canada.
As the landscape corrects, top programs that prioritize real‑world outcomes, continuous curriculum updates, and comprehensive support are best positioned to thrive.
Future learners must now navigate with keen scrutiny, balancing speed and affordability against quality and long‑term career impact.
